Flaws
by yellowstar
Summary: Ashley's life seems perfect, but what the other rangers don't know is that nothing can be as perfect as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

FLAWS  
  
Ashley's life seems perfect, but what the other rangers don't know is that nothing can be as perfect as it seems.  
  
The bell rang just as Ashley hurried through the door and into her seat next to Carlos for Mr. Nersten's chemistry class. "That was close Ash." Carlos kidded here as she pulled her lab notes from her book bag.  
  
"Whatever Carlos." Ashley rolled her eyes in reply. She skimmed over her notes after hearing from JT that Nersten had a pop quiz planned.  
  
As expected, Mr. Nersten announced, "Alright class. Put everything away, we're going to have a pop quiz." The class groaned in response. As Ashley received the paper from the person in front of her, Ms. Rogers entered the room with a note for MR. Nersten.  
  
He took the note and walked over to Ashley. "Mrs.Reitsma wants to see you. You can make up the quiz tomorrow at lunch." Carlos looked up at Ashley with a questioning look in his eyes. Ashley took the note and quickly repacked her book bag, shrugging her shoulders at the black haired boy in response to his unspoken question before exiting the classroom.  
  
"Mrs.Reitsma will see you now Ashley." Ms. Rogers, the secretary informed her. Ashley sighed, she had only been waiting for twenty minutes to see her guidance counselor. She gathered her belongings and was ushered into the conference room.  
  
"Ashley thanks for coming." Mrs.Reitsma began kindly. Ashley just nodded, still confused as to what the meeting was about. "Listen, Saturday night we're having an abuse awareness meeting at the community center. I think it would mean a great deal to the community if you and your brother would come and share your testimony." She stated, aware of the history of the Hammond family, as she had been Ashley's guidance counselor since she was in junior high.  
  
"You want us to tell everyone about out step mom?" Ashley asked din disbelief. She paused for a minute. "I don't know Mrs. Retisma, my friends don't even know about her." She admitted quietly as tears filled her eyes, as harsh memories of her childhood were forced to the front of her mind. She closed her eyes to block out the horrific images that still plagued her, especially this time of year. Every March, her family had to go to court and testify at her step mom's parole hearing and plead for her to remain locked up.  
  
"I know this is a difficult time of year for you and your family. But I think it might be healing if you talked about it." The guidance counselor advised the distraught girl. "And I know it could help others dealing with abuse."  
  
"I'll have to think about it, and ask Jeff." Ashley finally said, not looking up.  
  
"That's fine, Ashley. I know you won't be in school tomorrow, but just give me a call if you're going to come." Mrs. Reitsma spoke softly as she put her hand on Ashley's shoulder.  
  
"Hey Ash!" Carlos called as school let out for the day. "What did your guidance counselor want?" He asked her as she arrived at her locker where TJ and Cassie were waiting for her.  
  
Ashley looked up startled. "What did you say Carlos?" She asked, not hearing his question. "I asked, " he began but decided to ask a different question when he saw the haunted look in her eyes. "Are you okay Ash?" He wondered concerned about his best friend.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Ashley responded as she shut her locker and began heading to the exit.  
  
" Aren't you coming back with us?" Cassie questioned her distracted teammate.  
  
"Sorry Cass, I need to go talk to Jeff." Ashley replied as she hurried away from her friends before they noticed the tears that threatened to escape once again.  
  
A quiet Thursday afternoon on the Astro Mega ship, Cassie is venting her frustrations to TJ after receiving another patronizing letter from her mother, while Andros continues scanning the universe for his sister. Carlos is down in Angel Grove helping his mother, and Ashley is at home talking to her brother.  
  
"Can you believer her? What nerve!" Cassie fumed as she took her books out of her book bag and slammed them on the table, startling TJ awry form his math homework.  
  
"Calm down Cassie. What did your mom do now?" TJ's calm voice broke through her fury. He only knew of one person who could make the normally peaceful pink ranger so furious.  
  
"She wants me to come live with her for the rest of the school year!" Cassie spat out angrily. "As if I would even consider moving to Chicago. Graduation is in less than 3 months, what is she thinking?" The pink ranger asked rhetorically. Just then Carlos stormed through the door to take a seat next to the blue ranger.  
  
"What's going on Carlos?" TJ asked surprised at the black rangers dark expression on his face. "It's my mom, she's afraid her company's going to let her go, if she loses her job then my family won't be able to afford tour house." Carlos stated frustrated.  
  
"Well, welcome to the bad news day club." Cassie commented sarcastically. Carlos looked up to look at her. "Another letter from you mom Cass?" Carlos guessed correctly. "You know it. She wants me to move to Chicago." Cassie replied, rolling her eyes in disbelief.  
  
"Doesn't she know graduation is in three months?" Carlos asked in shock.  
  
"Oh she knows alright. She just wants to prove she's in control." Cassie remarked as Ashley had the unfortunate timing of walking into the room at that moment.  
  
"Hey guys." Ashley greeted them a lot less cheerful than usual, but the others didn't notice. Actually, she looked terrible. She hadn't slept in a week and had lost some weight from her lack of appetite. She went through this every year a t this time and this year was no exception. She grabbed a cup of hot tear from the synthetron and sat down with her teammates. Everyone seemed to be in a bad mood so she remained silent, knowing she would draw their anger if she tried to lighten the mood, and feeling upset herself, didn't want to try. Andros walked in, his head bowed, as it usually was whenever he was thinking about his sister.  
  
Ashley sighed. "Any sign of Karone, Andros?" She asked quietly. The red ranger shook his head no, and sat down next to her, completing the silent circle of friends.  
  
Finally Carlos spoke. "My mom's afraid of losing her job. " His statement caused the others to open up to the group as a whole as well. "Yeah, my mom wants me to move in with her in Chicago." Cassie declared sadly.  
  
Ashley thought to herself, "At least you have a mother." Her own mother ha died when she was two years old. She had a great dad and a brother who loved her very much which helped to ease the pain of not having a mother. Thought of family made Ashley remember why she hated this time of year and the terrible events that had made her brother, father, and her such a close knit unit that her friends envied. But they wouldn't envy her if they knew why. 


	2. Black and Blue with Envy

Black and Blue with Envy  
  
"How about you TJ?" Andros asked when the blue ranger didn't add his own thoughts.  
  
"I'm just worried about my brother." TJ said. "I'm afraid he might have gotten back together with his old gang." He admitted sadly.  
  
"At least your brother isn't one of Dark Spectre's villains." Andros commented truthfully.  
  
"I guess. Cheering people up isn't usually your specialty Andros. I thought that was your job Ash." The blue ranger decided, finally glancing to the quiet yellow ranger whose life he envied.  
  
"Are you okay Ashley?" Cassie questioned her best friend, noticing how quiet the outgoing yellow ranger was. Cassie stared at her friend, noticing the strained look on her face.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." Ashley stated somberly.  
  
"Ah, trouble in paradise Ash?" TJ commented.  
  
"Yeah Ash. What do you have to be upset about? Got any problems at home you want to talk about?" Carlos asked rudely, taking out his own frustrations with his family on her. His question brought all her emotions to the surface. When she didn't answer, he jumped all over her. "That's what I thought." He remarked smugly.  
  
Ashley, usually a good sport, didn't' take Carlos' comment well. "Screw you Carlos." She muttered as she stood up from her stool as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She was going to share with them her not so good family stories until they started ganging up on her. Well she had dealt with her past by herself for the last ten years; she didn't need their support now. If they wanted to believer her life was so perfect, fine. But it wasn't and Ashley was starting to crack as a result of the hidden heartaches she had private for so long. She walked out and headed to her room to pack for the weekend.  
  
"Wow. I've never seen Ashley so upset before." Andros commented as the group watched their friend walk away more sad then they could remember.  
  
"You know, come to think of it, it was last year this time Ashley seemed really distant and closed off as well." TJ recalled clearly. "I don't think she even went to the Spring Fling."  
  
"I don't know, but I hope she'll snap out of it." Cassie said. "I get more depressed when Ashley's depressed."  
  
"What's she got to be depressed about?" Carlos snapped, knowing Ashley didn't deserve his anger but she just seemed a good target right now.  
  
"I don't know, but I better get started on my trig assignment. Knowing my luck, Dark Spectre is going to attack, and then how am I going to explain to Mr. Schultz why I didn't get my homework done again." TJ spoke as he gathered his book bag and headed to the library to study. His leaving prompted the other rangers to go their seperated ways as well.  
  
Ashley packed her bags quickly and grabbed her freshly ironed suit from her closet. She was dreading tomorrow as she had the last ten years. She had asked Deca for some personal time, so she could spend time with her family. This was an emotional weekend, and with her friends so caught up in their own problems, the only support system she had.  
  
"Alright Deca, I'll be back on Saturday. I won't be available tomorrow unless it's an extreme emergency." Ashley reminded the computer as she got set to teleport to her house.  
  
"Don't you want to tell the other rangers you're leaving?" The computer asked in surprise as the yellow ranger prepared to leave.  
  
"No." Ashley declared emphatically. "They'll just be more mad at me if they know I'm going to see my family." She finished with a sigh.  
  
"Don't they deserve some credit, Ashley? After all they're your friends." The computer pleaded with her to reconsider. The computer knew all about Ashley's past as the yellow ranger had confided in her and also because she had read Ashley's files.  
  
"Friends don't judge you without knowing all the facts." Ashley retorted.  
  
"Maybe if you told them the truth, give them a chance." Deca again tried to persuade the stubborn yellow ranger.  
  
"I got to go. They've got their own problems to deal with, and I've got mine." She stated firmly, leaving no more room for discussion. "I'm ready to go." She commanded Deca, and she was quickly teleported to Angel Grove.  
  
"Hey Deca, do you know where Ashley is?" Andros inquired about his missing girlfriend, as the rest of the team sat down for dinner.  
  
"Yes Andros, Ashley is in Angel Grove with her family. She took personal time." The computer informed the puzzled group.  
  
"I wonder what for?" Cassie asked to no one in particular. It was highly unusual for any of them to take personal time, let alone Ashley.  
  
"She must be really upset." Carlos surmised, trying to think of reasons of what could be going on in her life. They were best friends; it bothered him to think that there was something about her he didn't know.  
  
"Why didn't she tell us?" Andros wanted to know. He had never seen Ashley so distant before.  
  
"Maybe she was going to. But we didn't want to hear it. I know I wasn't ready to listen to her this afternoon. I knew she was upset after seeing her guidance counselor. And I took out all my frustrations with my family out on her." Carlos said with regret, recalling how his words had injured his friend, and hoping he wasn't the reason she had left unexpectantly.  
  
"None of us know what's going on Carlos." Andros admitted.  
  
"But we should know, Andros." Carlos interrupted the red ranger. "Ashley hasn't been herself, we should have seen she was so upset." The black ranger declared.  
  
"Carlos, don't beat yourself up. I'm sure Ashley will tell us in time." TJ encouraged his teammate. Carlos just looked up at the blue ranger. "I don't know TJ." He said finally before leaving his dinner untouched and went to his room. 


	3. Nightmares

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Jeff, Ashley's brother asked her, as she got ready for bed.  
  
"Ready as I'll ever be I guess. It's the same thing we've been doing for ten years." Ashley replied.  
  
"But it never gets any easier does it?" HE asked quietly as he sat next to her on her bed.  
  
"No. And I don't think it ever will. Do you think Dad will ever get over it?" Ashley questioned her brother.  
  
"I don't know, he still feels guilty for not believing us, and for being betrayed by Shelley." Jeff answered honestly. Jus then there was a knock on the door as their dad peeked his head in.  
  
"I thought I'd find you two in here." He commented, knowing that Ashley and Jeff always spent time together before the meeting that would take place the next day. He came in and joined his two children on Ashley's bed.  
  
"In answer to your question Ash, I think there are just some things a heart can't recover from. I thought I had found someone I might come to love as much as your mother, and then to discover years later how wrong I was. I know you two are pretty much grown up now, but you're still the most important things in my life. If something were to happen to either of you, I don't know if I could go on." He admitted, as his speech brought Jeff and Ashley to tears and the three clung to each other as they had for the past ten years. After a long hug, Mr. Hammond finally decided, "You two better get come rest. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day for all of us." He kissed the two goodnight and headed down the hall to his room.  
  
Jeff assumed his spot on his sister's floor. He had started sleeping in her room for the past nine years, when he had heard her screaming in the middle of a terrible nightmare, caused by flashbacks that the meeting the next day would conjure up, and tonight was no different.  
  
"No!" Ashley's voice echoed through out the room as she tossed and turned in her bed, getting stuck in her blankets in the process. "Leave us alone!" she cried before her brother climbed onto her bed and gathered his distraught sister in his arms. "Shh, Ash. I'm here. Shelley isn't here anymore. You don't have to be afraid." Jeff's soothing voice helped Ashley calm down.  
  
"I'm sorry Jeff. It's been ten years since she's been gone, you would think I'd be over it by now. I keep dreaming that they are going to let her out of prison." Ashley sniffed as she apologized for waking her brother up, still gathered in his warm and safe embrace.  
  
"That won't happen Ash. They haven't released her before so why start now? Some thing you never get over. I don't think either of us or dad will ever get over it. That's why this meeting is so important; to make sure Shelley never gets out. She'll never hurt us again Ash. I swear it." Jeff promised to his sister with a deathly vengeance. "I might have not been able to stop her ten years ago, but if she ever comes near us, she'll regret it." Finally the two had calmed down and managed to catch a few hours of sleep.  
  
DOVER  
  
The next morning, the Hammonds ate a quick and quiet breakfast before driving two hours to Dover for the parole meeting.  
  
"Alright this meeting to discover whether or not Ms. Shelley Martinson should be allowed out on parole will now commence." The judge stated.  
  
The warden of the psychiatric prison stood to address the Hammond family. "I feel that Shelley has paid her debts to society, she has been in counseling for the past ten years. I'd be willing to release her, but first I would like to hear from the family."  
  
Mr. Hammond stood up in response to Dr. Wakefield's opinion. "While Shelley may have paid her debt to society and be sorry, she will never pay her debt to my family. My children have been scarred from the years of abuse they suffered at the hands of Ms. Martinson, emotionally, physically, and mentally. She robbed them of a rich and wonderful childhood, instead subjecting them to horrors I'm ashamed to say I knew not of until I confronted Shelley when I saw the bruises on Ashley's back. Here are the police and medical reports I have collected through the years, when I realized that Shelley had taken them to numerous clinics in an attempt to hide their injuries. Here is also the death certificate of our daughter Shannon, whom Shelly also abused, which resulted in the death of a precious three-year-old child. Shannon will never be replaced no matter how sorry Shelley may be now. I plead with the committee to continue in the footsteps of those before you and reject her plea for release" Mr. Hammond finished his speech and sat back down next to his children. Ashley was crying earnestly now, and Jeff was barely holding onto his composure.  
  
Dr. Wakefield responded, "Before the committee leaves to confer on a decision, would the children like to add anything?" Jeff looked at his tormented sister and knew he could keep silent no longer.  
  
"Yes, I would like to say something." Ashley looked up at her older brother in shock, giving Jeff the confidence to say what he felt needed to be said.  
  
"Every year for the past ten years my sister has woken up with nightmares right before this meeting. While I know she has gone on to have a rewarding and fun life, I know she will forever be traumatized by the events of her childhood. If I could, I would take away all the painful memories and scars Shelley ahs caused her, myself, my dad, and my little sister Shannon. I can't, but you can. I plead with you on behalf of my family to keep Shelley here. She has hurt us tremendously in the past, and letting her out will allow her to hurt us in the future. Thank You." Jeff sat down, collapsing on the bench as his emotions finally got the best of him. The committee filed out to confer, leaving the Hammond family to huddle together as they had each year of the past ten years, hoping for a verdict that would protect them.  
  
Two hours passed when the committee reentered the courtroom. The judge asked the committee for its verdict. The foreman, a middle aged woman stood up with a piece of paper and read, "It is the opinion of the committee that Shelley Martinson continue to remain in the care of the Orange County Psychiatric prison. While she had made progress in her counseling, it cannot be overlooked that she will never be able to undo the damage and pain she herself inflicted on the Hammond family. It is in the best interest of the victims if she remains in the custody of the state of California."  
  
Relief tore through the Hammond family as once again the verdict proved to be in their favor. Mr. Hammond took his children out to celebrate on their drive back to Angel Grove. 


	4. Emergency

Emergency  
  
Meanwhile, back in outer space, the other rangers were performing some routine checks and repairs aboard the Mega ship when Deca's emergency alarm sounded. "Alert! There is an attack in Angel Grove Park." The computer commanded the remaining four rangers. They rushed to their gliding tubes, before Andros thought to ask, "Deca, what about Ashley?"  
  
"I will contact her only if necessary Andros." Deca replied and the four rangers shot through space to land morphed in the park. The monster Dark Spectre sent down was tougher than he looked and with one ranger gone, the other four were hard pressed in battle. It wasn't long before all four rangers were completely exhausted and the monster was able to trap them and steal them away to an undisclosed location.  
  
"Ai, Ai, Ai." Alpha said frantically. "What are we going to do?" the robot asked Deca.  
  
"I will contact Ashley." Deca stated as she initiated a sequence to communicate with the yellow ranger.  
  
Beep, Beep, Beep, went Ashley's communicator during lunch with her father and brother. Excusing herself, she went outside to respond to Deca's alert. "What is it Deca?" She asked worriedly, knowing there must be some sort of emergency.  
  
"Ashley, the other rangers have been captured. They need your help right away." Deca urged the yellow ranger.  
  
"I'm on my way Deca." Ashley said as she hurried back to her dad and Jeff and explained why she had to go. Understanding, Ashley left her dad and brother and teleported quickly to the Mega ship.  
  
"Who's responsible for their disappearance?" Ashley demanded as she appeared on the bridge.  
  
"One of Dark Spectre's newest monsters Raven. He wore the others out and teleported them away." Deca informed her.  
  
Ashley paused to think for a minute. "Scan for their power signatures."  
  
"Scanning for power signatures." Alpha echoed as he pushed some buttons. Dots of pink, blue, black, and red confirmed their location in an abandoned warehouse in downtown Angel Grove.  
  
"I'm going after them. No one hurts my teammates and gets away with it." Ashley declared, clenching her fists.  
  
"Be careful Ashley, it might be a trap." Deca warned the yellow ranger, hoping her loyalty to her teammates wouldn't cause her to get caught as well.  
  
Ashley teleported to outside the warehouse. Listening outside the doorway she saw a metal cage hanging from the ceiling. Three of Dark Spectre's monsters were making final preparations on which Ashley assumed to be a trap for her.  
  
"So you see, we'll lure the yellow ranger here with the idea that she can save her boyfriend, and we'll drop this cage on top of her. When it hits, it will detonate and the bomb will go off in one minute destroying the yellow ranger for good." Raven advised his fellow villains. "Then we'll destroy the rest of the power rangers." He said smugly as they finished the trap.  
  
Ashley looked around from the doorway but saw no sign of her teammates. She quickly returned to the mega ship to continue scanning for their location.  
  
"Ashley! What did you find out?" Alpha demanded of her as soon as she reappeared on the bridge.  
  
"The others aren't in that building. You were right Deca, it is a trap." Ashley admitted as she paced the bridge thinking of away to free her friends. Suddenly she stopped as a thought came to her mind. "Alpha, who owns that abandoned warehouse?" she asked the stunned robot. Pushing a few buttons she got her answer. The name Michael Summit appeared on the screen.  
  
"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Ashley wondered as she racked her brain for an answer. "Wait. Of course." Ashley remembered suddenly. "He owns the old abandoned bank across the street. I bet that's where the others are. " She stated confidently. "Deca, get me the combination to the vault at Summit Bank." Deca quickly obeyed the yellow ranger's commands. "I've got it, but what about the trap Ashley?" The computer wanted to know. "How are you going to avoid it?" The computer inquired.  
  
"I'm not." Ashley replied simply. Ashley finished outlining her plan. While Deca was not so sure it would work, she could not think of a better plan herself. "Are you up to this Ashley?" The computer confronted her, knowing what a difficult day she already had and hoping she would be able to pull through for her teammates.  
  
"They need me Deca. I'm ready." Ashley spoke determinedly, and Deca knew nothing would stop the yellow ranger from succeeding. "No one messes with us rangers."  
  
"Be careful Ashley." The computer and robot admonished her as they waited for a video to signal the beginning of her plan. A few minutes later, the video appeared on the main screen.  
  
"Ashley, we need your help. You've got to save us. Come to the abandoned factory in downtown Angel Grove." Andros begged his girlfriend, hoping she would be able to figure a way out of this mess without getting caught herself. He hated having to put her in this position, but Raven held Carlos captive, forcing Andros to send the video to Ashley.  
  
"I'm on my way Andros." Ashley whispered, pulling her helmet back on and teleporting to the warehouse to meet with Raven.  
  
"You want me? Well here I am." Ashley shouted into the vast emptiness of the warehouse.  
  
"You came quickly. You must really love your boyfriend." Raven observed of the yellow ranger.  
  
"Well where is he?" She demanded of the villain in a no nonsense tone of voice.  
  
"Right this way, yellow ranger." Raven escorted her to the middle of the floor where the red ranger suddenly appeared. Ashley ran to embrace him, but just like that he disappeared and she found herself surrounded by the cage.  
  
"That was too easy." Raven taunted Ashley. "I thought you rangers were supposed to be smart. The power of young love." He sighed. "Enjoy your last minute on earth, knowing you couldn't save your teammates." Raven snarled as Ashley feigned shock and horror at her capture.  
  
Across the street, the other rangers were horrified to see Ashley captured on the video Raven had supplied for them. They held out hope that in one minute she would somehow escape. When the clock ran out and the loud explosion rang out, they slumped to the floor in defeat.  
  
"Ashley, NO!" Andros screamed as he beat his fists against the steel walls of the locked vault. Cassie pulled Andros into a tight embrace, allowing the red ranger to release his anguish and regret in not telling Ashley how much he loved her. The video faded to black as the four rangers were left to dwell on their own impending destruction. 


	5. Dead or Alive?

Ashley held her breath as the clock counted down from ten. "I hope this works." She thought as she waited for the explosion. When the clock hit zero, there was a loud explosion and then she found herself on the bridge of the mega ship. There was a throbbing in her left shoulder where the fire from the bomb had broken through her suit, she didn't know the severity of it, but ignored the pain as she focused on the next part of the mission.  
  
"It worked." Alpha cried excited as he ran over to see if Ashley was okay.  
  
"I'm fine Alpha, really. Now let's finish off this beast so we can rescue the others." She teleported back down to the warehouse where the flames and smoke finally cleared, revealing the still body of the yellow power ranger. The villains couldn't believe their luck. "We did it! The destruction of the yellow ranger is complete." They shouted, celebrating their victory. Ashley only shook her head at their premature victory dance.  
  
"Go in and check to make sure she's dead." Raven commanded his tow slaves. "She seems dead to me." Triton said as he knelt down to check for a pulse.  
  
"Seems dead?" Raven roared. "IF you want anything done right, you've got to do it yourself." He muttered as he entered the cage, unaware that Ashley was outside the door. As he leaned over to determine if she was dead, he heard the loud slam of the cage behind him. Shocked he turned to see the yellow ranger standing outside.  
  
"How dumb do you think I am?" She asked, her hands on her hips.  
  
"How did you, what in the world?" The monster stuttered in disbelief. He was so close to destroying the power rangers.  
  
Ashley spoke into her communicator. "Deca, three for transport." The ship's computer teleported the three villains to a deserted planet for immediate destruction. As she watched them disappear, she set off across the street to the abandoned bank. "Now to get the others."  
  
"I just wish she hadn't died alone." Andros admitted to the other rangers who were still as in shock as he was.  
  
Carlos could not grasp the fact that his best friend was dead. "How did she fall for that trap?" He asked in disbelief, wondering how she could have missed the obvious. Ashley smiled as she heard his question. Turning the vault wheel to the left three times, and right four times, the large steel door swung open. The four captured rangers held their breath as they waited for Raven to appear in the doorway. Much to their shock and delight, instead of Dark Spectre's evil villain, stood the yellow ranger.  
  
"Ashley!" Carlos yelled in surprise. The four piled out of the vault and plowed right into the yellow ranger who just laughed in delight. "How dumb do you think I am?" she asked directly to Carlos who hadn't realized she had heard his comment but turned bright red at her question.  
  
"How did you escape? We thought you were dead." Andros admitted quietly.  
  
"I had Deca teleport me out when the explosion went off, and we placed a dummy to take my place in the cage, thusly drawing the villains in to make sure I was dead. "Ashley declared. TJ was the next to respond.  
  
"Thanks for getting us out of there Ash." He thanked her as he playfully slapped her left arm. Ashley flinched as she reminded of the pain that was still shooting through her left arm. Ashley's movement had not gone unnoticed by the others.  
  
"Ashley, you're hurt." Andros exclaimed, moving closer to his girlfriend. "We better get you to the med bay." He decided before contacting Deca. "Deca, five to teleport." The five rangers reappeared on the bridge.  
  
"Good to have you back rangers." Alpha greeted them cheerfully.  
  
"Good to be back Alpha." Cassie echoed the robot, as the pink, blue, and black rangers checked the scanners for any signs of danger. Satisfied that there was no imminent danger, they relaxed.  
  
"Power down." Andros commanded and the five crossed their arms in front of their chests and flung them outward, their suits disappearing in five streams of colored light.  
  
Ashley's left arm hung limply as she held it still close to her body with her good arm. Andros put his arm around her waist and escorted her to the med bay, where the other rangers let them have some alone time as the three of them headed off the synthetron for a well-deserved dinner.  
  
"I thought I'd lost you." Andros admitted to Ashley as she sat on the patient bed while Alpha ran a bone scanner over her left arm. He brushed the hair out of her face and allowed his fingers to gently caress her slightly burned cheeks.  
  
"It'll take more than a dumb trap to get rid of me." Ashley joked as Alpha wrapped her injured left arm in a sling.  
  
"I'm glad." Andros said. His words caused Ashley to look up at her boyfriend in surprise. "When I thought you were gone, I realized I should have told you before how much I love you."  
  
"Really?" she whispered as she flashed her bright smile at him. He couldn't resist smiling back. "Really." He replied as he bent down to kiss her gently on her lips.  
  
1am  
  
"NO! Please Daddy, don't let her hurt us anymore!" Ashley screamed in the midst of another nightmare. Though they couldn't hear her words, her teammates could hear the terror in her voice as they raced to her side. Four doors opened simultaneously as the four rangers poured out of their rooms and took off to the yellow ranger's room.  
  
"Ashley, wake up." Carlos said as he stopped her from flailing about.  
  
"I'm sorry Shannon. So sorry." Ashley sobbed as the memories from her past flooded her sleepy state. Carlos looked at the others worried.  
  
"Who's Shannon?" Cassie asked in surprise. Andros knelt down next to his girlfriend and gently touched her face. "It's okay, Ash. Wake up." His gentle voice pierced through her fear and she gradually opened her eyes to see her teammates gathered in her room. Sitting up she allowed Andros to take her in his arms and she sobbed out all the pain her nightmares had released.  
  
"What is it Ash?" TJ wanted to know. Andros suggested they all leave the room. Deciding she would be okay, Carlos, TJ, and Cassie leaving Andros and Ashley alone.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Andros inquired softly as he continued to hold his distraught girlfriend.  
  
"Not really Andros. I just want to try to go to sleep." Ashley admitted, and laid herself back in her bed. Andros pulled the covers over her and settled in her chair to make sure she didn't have any more nightmares.  
  
Ashley woke up a few hours later and smiled when she saw Andros asleep in her chair. She quickly showered and changed without him knowing. She gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek before leaving the ship.  
  
"Anyone seen Ashley this morning?" Cassie asked, she wanted to know what was going on with her friend. Never before had she or anyone else seen Ashley so terrified as she was last night in the middle of her nightmare.  
  
"She was gone before I even woke up." Andros confessed as he sat down for breakfast. Thinking, he looked up at the computer. "Deca, do you know where Ashley is?" he questioned.  
  
"Yes I do Andros." Deca replied, not knowing if she should tell them.  
  
Andros rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Well, where is she?" He demanded finally. Deca responded at last, deciding that Ashley might have been a bit too stubborn in no telling the other rangers her situation. "She's at the cemetery." Her statement caused the rangers to stop eating and look up at her in surprise.  
  
"The cemetery?" TJ repeated in shock. "This can't be good." Carlos declared as he jumped out of his seat. "Whoa! Where are you going?" Cassie demanded of the black ranger.  
  
"I'm going to go find Ashley. I want an explanation." Carlos spoke determinedly. "Maybe she doesn't want us to find her." TJ explained, trying to make sure Carlos do anything in haste. "I don't care. She might not want us to find her, but she needs us." Carlos decided firmly. "If she won't come to us, then we go to her." "You're right Carlos. I'm coming too." Andros agreed wholeheartedly. He had never seen Ashley so depressed, it worried him to no end that he was hurting. Cassie and TJ finally agreed to go along, and the four teleported to the Angel Grove Park, outside the cemetery, leave their breakfasts behind.  
  
The four rangers watched silently from outside the gates. Ashley was laying on the ground between two gravesites, fresh flowers on both, sobbing her heart out. Andros's heart went out to her and he made the first move, walking into the cemetery and over to the grieving yellow ranger. He sat down, pulling her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. When she didn't struggle against the intrusion, the others came in and gathered around their friend. Cassie looked away from her friend to read the gravestones.  
  
"Andrea Joy Hammond  
Beloved wife and Mother"  
1951-1983  
  
"Ashley's mother." Cassie concluded. All the times she complained about her mother, and Ashley had never said a word. And here her friend was still grieving over the mother she never knew. "How did Ashley put up with me?" The pink ranger wondered in amazement. Then she remembered the other gravestone. It stood nearby, a small angel engraved above the writing.  
  
"Shannon Joy Hammond  
Beautiful daughter and sister  
She will never be forgotten"  
1985-1988  
  
"I didn't know Ashley had a sister." Carlos thought to himself as he too read the gravestones. Doing the math in his head, he felt sick when he realized that her sister had died when she was only three years old. Recalling her nightmares last night, Carlos decided that she hadn't died naturally, otherwise why would Ashley be so upset?  
  
"Shannon would be thirteen years old today." Ashley's voice drew their attention away from the gravestones and back to the yellow ranger. "I come here every year on her birthday." She admitted as tears continued to flow freely from her eyes.  
  
Andros just held her tightly to him. "She is so brave." He thought, as he recalled all the time she encouraged him to keep looking for his sister. She must have thought of her sister all those times when he would talk about Karone.  
  
"Um guys?" They all looked over at her. "I promised Mrs. Reitsma I would do something tonight. I was wondering if you guys would come? I could really use your support, and you'll understand why I've been really sad and distant lately." Ashley broke the silence.  
  
"Sure Ash. What time? And where?" TJ asked kindly as they all wondered what was going on.  
  
"7pm at the community center. It's a fundraiser." Ashley informed them. She glanced down at her watch; she was going to be late meeting her dad and Jeff. "I've got to go meet my dad and Jeff so I'll see you guys later tonight then, ok?" Her teammates nodded in agreement as they watched her leave.  
  
"Wow." Cassie said finally. No one else said a word, they were too shocked. 


	6. Concrete Angel

Concrete Angel  
  
"Thank you all for coming tonight. We are here to raise money and awareness for victims of child abuse. Child abuse is a terrible crime that plaques many children in our society and even here in our community. Sadly the shame associated with abuse is so great that many victims never come forward, forced to suffer the long lasting and painful consequences alone. Tonight I have some special guests who would like to share with you." Mrs. Reitsma concluded her opening and gestured for Ashley to take the microphone.  
  
Ashley rose from her chair, graceful and surprisingly well composed, dressed in a long black dress with gold accents to set off the gold locket around her neck. Her long brown hair was pulled up in a French twist, with a few tendrils framing her face, making her look vulnerable.  
  
Andros noticed immediately how beautiful she was and picked up on her nervous habit of playing with her necklace. He shot her a reassuring smile to calm her down; she looked into his eyes and took a deep breath before beginning her speech. None of her friends knew what to expect.  
  
"Thank you Mrs. Reitsma," Ashley began quietly, gaining confidence in herself, knowing she was doing the right thing. She had been silent for too long. "Good Evening. My name is Ashley Hammond. Mrs. Reitsma asked me to talk to you tonight. See, I was a victim of child abuse." Her statement caused the other four rangers to immediately sit up straighter, shooting each other looks of shock and horror at what her admission meant.  
  
"When I was three years old, my dad remarried. He often worked long hours to provide for my brother and I and out step mom. My brother Jeff and I spent may hours alone with Shelley and it wasn't long before her temper got the best of her, and us. For the next three years of my life I was too scared to tell anyone what happened to my brother and me. I didn't even tell my dad. He was in love with Shelley. But she was a different person when he wasn't around. Nothing my brother or I did was good enough for her and she routinely beat us to do what she wanted. She didn't have the patience to put up with two little children. So when my little sister was born, Jeff and I were terrified at what she would do." Talking about Shannon proved too much for Ashley, as she succumbed to her tears. "Excuse Me," she said as she turned away form the podium to cry in earnest. Jeff jumped to her rescue, sitting her down next to their dad who put his arm around his daughter.  
  
"I'm Jeff Hammond. For three years my sister and I were subjected to all sorts of abuse and neglect. It wasn't until after Shannon died that our dad realized what was going on. I remember that night so vividly, even ten years later. Shannon was sick or something, she kept crying out for her mom. Shelley was so fed up with her crying that she stormed into her room. I remember lying in bed and looking across the room at my sister Ashley who was also awake. We held our breath, not knowing what to do, we wanted to help our sister, but we honestly didn't know, and we didn't want to get beat again either. Shannon was crying one minute, and the next she was quiet. Too quiet, I thought. The next morning, Shelley was still sleeping so Ashley and I crept into our sister's room. Shannon wasn't moving. I shook her shoulders to wake her up but she still didn't' move I put my hand near her mouth but she wasn't breathing. Ashley started screaming for Shelley to wake up and I ran to get the phone and call our dad who was already at work. I ran back into the room with my dad on the phone. Shelley had just finished hitting Ashley pretty hard. She said, "If you don't shut up, you little brat, you're going to be dead too." She screamed at Ashley. My dad heard the whole conversation over the phone and immediately raced home with the police not far behind." Jeff stopped speaking, the whole room was horribly captivated by the story he told. Tears streamed down his face as he joined Ashley and their dad took over the microphone.  
  
"You never think something like this could happen to you. Or your children. You want to believe that everyone loves children and will protect them. But I learned the hard way, you can't trust everyone. In retrospect, I think I married Shelley because I was lonely. Jeff and Ashley's mom had died only a year before and I wanted them to have a mom. For three years I had no idea that the abuse was going on. When I heard Shelley screaming at my precious daughter Ashley over the phone, I Was stunned. How did I not know about all of this? After Shelley was gone, Jeff told me that she threatened to send him and Ashley away if they told anyone, even me, their own father. But when I came home the sight that I found was about as horrible as you can imagine. Our three-year-old daughter lay unmoving in her bed, and my seven- year-old daughter was crumbled on the floor, bruises covering most of her small body. And then there was my eight year old son, even then he was protective of his sisters, hovering over Ashley, finally collapsing in tears only when the police had Shelley firmly in custody."  
  
Ashley returned to the microphone. Blinking back the tears she finished her testimony. "This is the first time I've ever old anyone about my past. I was ashamed. I didn't pretend my life was perfect but I had learned not to dwell on the bad things too much. It ends up just eating you alive. After years of counseling, and the love of my dad and brother I have gone on to have a fulfilling and rewarding life. I have been silent for far too long, but I will not be silenced anymore by the past. I hope our story has been an encouragement to you, for those who have suffered abuse that there is hope at the end of the tunnel." Ashley looked over to her brother and nodded and he stepped forward to the microphone.  
  
"I wrote this song a few years ago and I asked Ashley to sing it for you. IT paints a picture of the pain we have been holding in and holding onto." Jeff introduced the song, and the soft chords filled the room as Ashley's beautiful voice rang out.  
  
She walked to school with a lunch she packed Nobody knows what she's holding back Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday She hides her bruises with her linen and lace  
  
The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask It's hard to see the pain behind the mask Bearing the burdens of a secret storm He sometimes wishes he was never born  
  
Through the wind and the rain She stands hard as a stone In a world that she can't rise above But her dreams give her wings And she flies to a place where she's loved Concrete Angel  
  
Somebody cries in the middle of the night The neighbors hear but they turn out the lights A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate When morning comes it will be too late  
  
Through the wind and the rain She stands hard as a stone In a world that she can't rise above But her dreams give her wings And she flies to a place where she's loved Concrete Angel  
  
A statue stands in a shady place An angel girl with an upturned face Her name is written on the polished rock A broken heart that the world has forgot  
  
Through the wind and the rain She stands hard as a stone In a world that she can't rise above But her dreams give her wings And she flies to a place where she's loved Concrete Angel  
  
Ashley puts the microphone down and walks off the stage escorted by her father and brother to thunderous applause from the audience. Most of them have tears in their eyes; even the most unemotional listeners couldn't help but feel the pain that was shared. Mrs. Reitsma concluded the evening from the podium, and the other rangers race out of the auditorium to find their teammate.  
  
They run into Jeff and Mr. Hammond in the parking lot. "Where's Ashley?" Andros quietly demanded, desperately wanting to comfort her but also to tell her how proud he was of her for telling such a painful story.  
  
"She went back to the ship. She was completely exhausted." Jeff informed his sister's friends.  
  
"No kidding. I doubt she got any sleep last night." TJ agreed with Jeff's assessment of Ashley's condition.  
  
"She had nightmares last night too?" Jeff questioned the blue ranger.  
  
"Yeah, how did you know?" TJ asked curiously.  
  
"She's had nightmares for ten years now. I'm not surprised but I didn't think she would have them on the ship." Jeff stated. "Why's that?" Andros wanted to know.  
  
"Because she feels safe there." Not wasting any more time, they bid Jeff and Mr. Hammond goodbye and teleported back to the Mega ship to find Ashley.  
  
Ashley was sitting on a console in the bridge talking to Deca when the others appeared suddenly. There was awkward silence, as no one knew what to say or how to approach her. Finally TJ asked a question he had to know the answer to. "How bad was it?" Ashley looked at him with tears in her eyes, but before he could regret asking it, she asked the computer, "Deca, pull up my medical files."  
  
"Of course Ashley." Deca replied, obeying the yellow ranger's command immediately. The others settled into their chairs to view the screen while Andros simply sat on the console next to her and wrapped his arms around her in silent comfort.  
  
"December 12th, 1985, four year old Ashley Hammond admitted to Angel Grove Hospital with second degree burns."  
  
That was when I was trying to light the fire in our fireplace." Ashley explained to the others.  
  
"She had you making fires at four years old?" Carlos exclaimed in disbelief. "You could have been more seriously hurt." Andros said in wonder, and thankful that she managed to survive all that so she could be here with him now.  
  
"March 19th 1986, Ashley rushed to AGH with a broken collarbone."  
  
"I fell down the stairs." Ashley narrated as the file continued to pop up on the screen.  
  
"You fell or you were pushed?" TJ asked. Ashley didn't reply, confirming their worst suspicions, and she continued on.  
  
"Ash, you don't have to do this. I was just curious." TJ said trying to stop the brunette from reliving those terrible memories.  
  
"It's okay Teej. I need to get this out." Ashley admitted quietly as she continued to hold onto Andros' hand for support.  
  
"July 4th, 1986 Ashley admitted to AGH with burns from a fireworks related incident."  
  
"We were up at Hangman's Island and Shelley had gone out and left my brother and I with two teenagers who were staying next to us. They let me set off some fireworks and they misfired and I burnt my hands." Ashley stated matter of factly.  
  
It was a heavy silence that filled the bridge as they waited for the next entry. "This makes all our problems seem so petty." Carlos thought to himself as he turned to look at his best friend, who he had respected for many years, and more so now.  
  
"How did she do it?" The question slipped out of the black rangers mouth, breaking the silence.  
  
"How did I what?" Ashley inquired a bit confused.  
  
"How did you get through all that to be the person that you are now?" Carlos asked in astonishment. Ashley was one of the nicest and most supportive people he knew, and her loyalty and determination made her a great teammate as well.  
  
"I had the loving support of my brother and father, which is why we're so close now. But I had my share of counselors too." Ashley commented.  
  
"November 21st, 1986- the school nurse examined her after her preschool teacher noticed bruises on her upper arms."  
  
"February 7th 1987- Ashley missed four days of school with the flu."  
  
June 11th 1987- Ashley admitted to Stone Canyon Hospital with multiple contusions and lacerations."  
  
"There's a bunch more, but we don't need to see all of them." Ashley decided as fatigue eventually began taking its toll on the yellow ranger.  
  
"How many times were you in the hospital Ash?" Cassie asked from her seat.  
  
"I don't know for certain, but I'd say in four years I was in the emergency room 15 times I guess." Ashley acknowledged thoughtfully.  
  
"And they never had any idea that all your injuries could have come from abuse?" Carlos spoke incredulously. Ashley just shook her head. "It just wasn't as common as it is now for children to be taken seriously when they say they've been abused. People now a days know what symptoms to look for and what questions to ask." Ashley commented.  
  
"And there's more awareness out there, thanks to people like you who are willing to stand up and admit to being abused. Your voice gives people courage to speak up." Andros declared proudly. "And I'm so proud of you Ash for having the courage to speak up tonight. I know it was hard for you, but I'm sure you touched many lives." His kind words made Ashley tear a bit as she gave him a fierce hug.  
  
"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed." Cassie declared as she stood up and made her way off the bridge, stopping first to give Ashley a huge hug. The others filed suit, and Andros escorted Ashley back to her room and she had no nightmares that night or ever again.  
  
A/N: Thanks for reading my first online story. Hope you liked it, I am a big Ashley and Space fan so a lot of my stories are about them. This is finally finished! 


End file.
